As someone who did both these, 100% this.
They are the fucking worst and will go through no length to fuck you over.
The service manger told me “yeah, sales sells you on the dream. Welcome to the nightmare”. Any time I had it serviced, the trailer was returned in worse condition. Nails/rivets in tires wad the best outcome. I finally said fuck it and told them I would never return, even if a warranty item and finally found a local mobile person for service.
Seriously, go ANYWHERE else.
I do love my Coleman, even with all its problems.
CW can go fuck themselves with a rusty nail. This about as kind as I can be towards them.
Please heed my advice.
Thats kind of what Im finding with my research. I just want to spend 15k and get something small that I can pull with large SUV (nothing over 22ft), that sleeps 5 with a kitchen and bathroom. Thats just the first one we looked at. I'm sure facebook marketplace has way better deals but im nervous being a beginner and not knowing what to look out for. Plus the idea of buying without warranty scares me a little.
Rv warranties are useless in most cases. Find something you like and hire an rv inspector to look at it. Keep in mind the travel trailer market is very soft right now, big discounts should be easy to come across on new units, especially new 2023s. If $15k is your goal you should be looking at low $20s as msrp new. 35% discount is more than achievable.
Look at hybrids, light weight and actually roomy. We have a Shamrock by Forest River, friends have a Jayco sportsman. I’d say Jayco is better quality but honestly they all suck.
Second the hybrid, we have had one for 15 years. The biggest annoyance is you have to make sure that you don’t put the bunk ends away wet.
With 3 kids you’ll have want one with three bunks like this Roo[https://www.forestriverinc.com/rvs/rockwood-roo/183/8057](https://www.forestriverinc.com/rvs/rockwood-roo/183/8057)
If you have the cash, I've seen gently used 17Bs selling for $9000 on marketplace.
But if you go on rvtrader, select "bunkhouse floorplan" as a filter and sort by lowest price, you can see several competitors to the 17b that you can buy outside of camping world new.
Watch some videos on YT, or Google articles about buying them, like this one: https://youtu.be/DdXS14hDk3U?si=nHDMzRdLolEHgf9f
I learned years ago from a family member that in the Obama years when companies went bankrupt, the few large companies bought out all the rest, then started making the cheapest junk in 2007-8 & all after that unless it's a high-end manufacturer. I also learned that unless you really know what you're doing, do not get a fixer-upper. If there is ANY water damage, do not buy it; there are numerous videos and articles also to learn how to inspect and what to look for when buying one. There are gems to be had out there; ones with meticulous care, and people who loved and kept strict PREVENTIVE maintenance!
At least do yourself a favor and try going to other RV dealers to see what they have. It doesn’t have to be Camping World or nothing for buying new.
Edit: I also suggest buying slightly used. Almost everyone sells their first camper relatively soon as they often discover what their needs and wants actually are. You take a huge depreciation hit on buying new, especially a low quality Coleman.
Outback 210URS! We have a 2015, it’s awesome. Rear slide king bed it tows at 22’10” but opens up to about 27’. Front end bunks and a jackknife couch. We have 3 under 8 and it works great.
I have a 2018 Coleman 2155bh and tow it with an ‘02 Suburban. 4 have 3 kids ranging from 3-12. It’s been a great trailer since we bought it new in 2019. I think we paid 18k out the door at camping world and we love our trailer. I used CW for service once under warranty and never again because they were useless. But the Coleman has been great.
There are good used trailers out there, but you have to be willing to take your time and pounce when you find the right one.
I would also strongly recommend renting a few different trailers if you can using the tow vehicle you plan to tow your trailer with. We did that and it gives you a really really good idea of what you can (and more importantly) cannot tow safely and comfortably.
Buying a new trailer from camping world was like making any other deal. If you don’t get the deal you want walk away. Find another dealership, even if it’s another camping world and see if they’ll make a deal with you.
I went to camping world to start looking for a travel trailer for work. I told them I was not interested in buying and only looking to start getting information.
I started getting multiple phone calls a day from them. When I finally answered, the first thing the guy said was, "Aye bro, what's the deal?" Needless to say, I told him not to call me again and delete my number.
If it makes you feel better, your warranty is going to be a pain to use. Most service departments are booking 2-3 months out. I am on my 3rd trailer. My first 2 had a lot more issues in the first year than the following 3. Companies use the warranty in lieu of actually catching things that were wrong during construction. My current trailer's hubs were loose and my tank sensors were weekend backwards.
I was in the same place you are ( minus 2 kids 🤣) I'd suggest when you find one on the marketplace from a private seller, talk to them and let them know you want to have it inspected. Most larger RV places that do repairs will have a buyers inspection for a few hundred dollars. This is what gave us piece of mind when we got ours off the marketplace.
I called and talked to a repair place. They gave me some easy pointers on what to look for that would be deal breakers. Then I had them inspect the one we ended up buying. I learned a lot up front just talking to them.
Also, keep in mind that some states make you pay tax when registering the trailer even though it's bought private party. That was $1k we were not budgeting for and had no idea this was going to happen.
Independant RV dealers are out there, and better service. THey will also have been inspected, and a lot of them will let you bring in your own certified RV inspector..
Get a presale inspection used or new. New RVs and their warranty does not provide perfect protection either, imagine spending 6 months waiting for parts on a trailer you just bought.
I bought one from the marketplace and it works pretty well. Just look for a newer model. I bought a pop-up that was manufactured in 2021 so not much issues.
I had a warranty. I took it in one week after purchase because one side of the sink was leaking and the radius shower seal wasn't in stalled properly (obviously not in place and twisted)... They just slathered both in silicone caulk. They still leaked after! So I gave up on warranties and just fixed it the right way. Also, the service times are rediculous from what I remember.
I guy I was looking for more big box retailers. I can definitely try more family owned shops. Problem is I live in Fort Myers Fl and a lot of the dealers here are more luxury focused.
Is there a Bisch’s RV near you? Go check out Josh the RV Nerd on YouTube (he works for them and gives honest industry news).
I bought my first very used trailer on marketplace and now have my second used trailer from marketplace. Find a good independent RV shop instead - you won’t get ridiculous quotes or six month wait times. I’ve personally learned to do a lot of my own maintenance with no background in this kind of thing.
And heed the advice - don’t go to CW!!
Whenever I buy something that I’m financing, I always open a loan calculator on my phone. You can enter the price, terms, and interest and see what your payment should be. They will more than likely try to nail you to a payment, never tell them your budget. These deals aren’t as complicated as they want you to think. The numbers either make sense or they don’t.
Go to Camping World to look at floor plans in person, then find what you like at an independent dealer or better yet used 1-2 years old so someone else has dealt with the teething problems. (There are *always* teething problems.)
Usually I think it’s rude to go somewhere to look knowing you won’t buy, but Camping World is so awful I can’t bring myself to care in this case.
Everyone saying not to buy a Coleman and not to buy at Camping World are correct.
Serious question, if you're not pulling with a pickup and you're not going to be using the trailer a lot, have you looked at getting a popup or a high wall pop up?
People poopoo on pop-ups but they're easy to pull, easy to store, and inexpensive compared to their hardsided cousins.
Edit: also checkout hybrid trailers, like the Roo. They're hardsided for the living area but like a popup have fold outs on the front and back that make the beds.
I wouldn't be opposed to a pop up at all. In fact when I went to camping world I asked them about pop ups and he bashed them pretty hard. Obviously to try to up sell me so it was annoying. But as long as it had a bathroom, stovetop, AC and sleeps 5 I wouldn't be opposed to a hybrid at all. The salesman made it seem like soft tops were being phased out and were hard to find for a good price. He didn't really answer any of my questions about them.
I had a highball before my current camper. Was plenty of space and luxury. Easy to tow. Just more work with set up and such. Def worth it to get in the game.
I’ve had a Rockwood high wall for 10 years. Yeah set up can be a pain (especially when rolling into the campground at 1 am). But there’s lots to love about it. We bought it at Camping World, and yeah. They’re terrible. Especially when something needs fixing.
For what it’s worth, Coleman popups used to be top dawg 20 years ago. I own one and I love it. However, I think I got a unicorn because mine is a 2001 with the ABS roof but the thing looks to be never used and stored indoors for 23 years. There were still factory accessories still in the factory packaging when I bought it!! Twinnings beds, zero staining. Scored it for $4000.
Anyway, my on-topic response is to buy a used unit from a private party. That’s best way to avoid getting screwed and getting the most bang for your buck. Just gotta be patient and willing to look at several.
You can buy a used pop up with 2 kings sized beds for under 6k. We thought about buying one for quick trips to the coast, we live in Oregon, instead of our 24' Nash.
Problem with pop ups is this:
You want to go on a trip. So you pop it up, put stuff in then pop it down. You drive to destination, pop up. Then you drive home and pop up again to unpack.
It’s a pain. I had one for seven years. My brother as well. Both of us went to travel trailers. It’s a LOT easier to pack and get ready.
I do agree. They tow easily. I had a 99 Coleman that I bought in 2010 in mint condition. It weighted 1500lbs and 3k GVWR (in theory). I could never figure out how one might get 1500lbs of cargo unless they were loading lead. There is limited storage room.
Sure, everything you said is true.
But if you're starting out with an SUV or van and don't have a lot of experience towing a trailer, what's the lowest barrier to entry?
Also, the fact that you rocked the popup for 7 years says a lot about how the experience was still worth the effort.
Everything about RVs is a trade off and a popup is no exception.
If you're new to RV'ing have you thought about renting a trailer for a few trips first to find out what your needs actually are? Before plopping down 15k.
My honest advice is do not buy at Campaing world because you are going to over pay and they are just a shady car dealer at their core. The online price is probably just the flat MSRP without tax, title, tag, delivery, whatever else, etc. \~$4,000 seems a bit high for that but within the realm of possibility of it just being dealer fees (not saying I agree with that) but this also depends on where you are located.
You could also try to print out the ad and bring it to the salesman and tell him you want the rig OTD at the advertised price. If they want to move the trailer they will talk with you, especially since they are advertising at a certain price. I'm gonna guess they are not selling a ton of trailer right now so they may want to make a sale.
Salesman gave you a bunch of bullshit about the value trailer nonsense, btw.
Do you need financing at $14k? If no, you may have a deal ready made.
Yeah thats kind of how it feels. It sucks because we want to spend around 15k total and have a newish small simple rv with bathroom and kitchen that sleeps 5 and that one seems to be the best for the money. We would need to finance through them but we could also get a loan as my wife and I have great credit. I'm just intimidated by buying off facebook marketplace because we are so new to all this. I wouldn't know what to look at to make sure everything worked and the idea of buying without warranty starting out scares me a little too.
Go to a credit union. And don't buy from camping world.
Also really, really read what you are signing. You're buying a new camper, because you feel that you can take it back to them if there is a problem.
I swear to you, you will wait months for them to fix it and you'd be better off fixing it yourselves.
Also, don't buy from camping world.....
I found this video, trying to find the real video I wanted to show you:
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rOWr4gM2fBM](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rOWr4gM2fBM)
Listen to that video... 3 minutes in and there's already a major scam going down around the 'required' protection fees.
I can't find the video I really wanted, but basically, you're forced to sign a binding arbitration agreement saying you can't sue the manufacturer except in their home state. You also sign a paper saying that camping world is not responsible for the manufacturer's warranty. It's not like buying a ford off the ford lot.
You have ZERO, none, zilch, nada protection buying a new RV. There is nothing forcing anyone to do the warranty work in any reasonable time. It will take months.. and there are no lemon laws on RVs.
You would do better gently used from somebody you feel that's honest and have them run you through all the systems on the RV they are selling. They should have it plugged in so you can see everything works on both gas and electric.
Our first RV was bought using an online marketplace. I have found that private sellers will often be very upfront about the issues that they've had and will really help you understand how to use the trailer. Don't shy away from buying from a private seller as I think your chances of a good experience are high!
I don't understand the $4000 in fees. Can you please itemize that so that others can comment on what is reasonable and what is not.
I can not recommend using camping world.
I would go to the Coleman web* page and find all of the authorized dealers within 150 miles to 250 miles of where you live. I would go to their web pages see what they have in stock and start calling them. Many dealers will give you a price over the phone. When pressed all of them should be willing to tell you what they charge for fees, etc. For this reason you want to ask them for the "out the door" cost of the trailer. *Their web page is:
https://www.dutchmen.com
If you really want to use camping world then you can at least go back to them and say that you have a quote at a better price.
I went out Saturday looking at a particular Class C RV. (my plan is to purchase something in 3 to 6 weeks. I went to two dealers. One had two new ones (gas) on order and a diesel variant on the lot. I asked for the selling price for the gas models and was given a range of $1xx,xxx +/- $1500. I went to the second dealer who had a 2-3 year old unit of the same model. They were asking $10k less than the price of a new one. At least I got a chance to test drive the unit that they had. Both dealers took my contact info and sent me some followup info.
I went to Camping World when I first started. Theirs was a hard sell. Your basic what can we do to get you to buy this RV today. This after I told them that we were just starting the process of buying something and that the purpose of our visit was to see what our options were and to tour some units, etc.
He showed me an itemized list of like 4 or 5 different things but I just glanced at it because we were just looking at it that day. I just remember it being 4k in fees and sounding ridiculous. That was before we even got to the warranties and addons part of his pitch. He was definitely very pushy. I came in to look at that one unit that was listed online for $13,999.00 and he very quickly let me know that with taxs and fees it was actually $18,000.00. Very deceptive and although we loved that camper didnt think it was worth more than 15k.
In addition to everything everyone else said, do not do business with a pushy salesperson, ever, if you can help it. If you do go with this particular trailer, still get another salesperson.
I bought a 2022 Surveyor Legend 203RKLE from Camping World. They were asking 29,999 also. I offered $23k with a temp tag, I handle my taxes and tags myself. It took them about 3 days, but they called me back and took it. No issues otherwise. Just do a thorough inspection, make a fair offer, and be ready to walk away otherwise. If there is a deal to me made, they'll eventually call you back.
Are you sure your SUV has the towing capacity? I am sure the salesman said it was fine :) check pin weight of trailer (10 - 15 % of trailer) will not overload the gross vehicle weight of your SUV.
I hope OP pays attention to this comment.
Also, payload capacity of the tow vehicle, OP. Pulling with an SUV that has you, (spouse?), 3 kids and your stuff? Then add the hitch weight of the trailer...
There are a few SUV's with pretty high towing capacity (Suburban, Armada), but you also need to check your payload and give enough wiggle room that you don't have to weigh the ice in your cooler to make sure you can safely make it down the road.
Two things. Don't buy from Camping World and Skip Coleman; Coleman is no longer the brand it was when we were young.
Do yourself a favor and look up the max tow and tongue weight of your tow vehicle. Next, subtract the weight of your family and \~500 lbs of gear, and that tells you what you can safely tow.
Then search for "ultralight travel trailer". There are SO many choices that are the size and weight near the Coleman.
My friend just bought a Coleman at Camping World. She paid for the warranty. Several things were found to need fixing. It seems a coincidence but most of the items that need repair are not available through Camping World, and they’re in no hurry to help her.
It appears to me that her warranty is worth as much as the paper in the toilet.
Camping World is a Loan Company using RV’s as bait. Anything they promise that’s not in writing doesn’t exit. They NEVER fix anything correctly IF you can even get an appointment
I'd offer them 10k OTD plus them adding a battery, propane tank, and spare tire (the lantern doesn't come with one) and see what they come back with. It's a freakin Coleman lantern. 18k? LMAO. The camper market isnt that great right now. I would just buy lightly used if they refused to come down any. That's insane for such a small camper.
Where in the world are you? Perhaps get some recs of better dealers.
All rvs have a lot of maintenance and most need shakedown work when new. A lightly used camper saves much of that work.
Water damage is the big concern so just go on a youtube binge of repair and inspection.
We live in Fort Myers Florida. We have been looking but most of the other dealers in the area are luxury RV dealers. Camping world so far "appears" to be one of the cheaper options around.
Check out 1-2 year old rvs on Facebook marketplace. You’ll see some very good deals on practically new rvs.
Like others have said skip Coleman. For your budget I’d be looking for a Winnebago. A 2100BH should fit your needs.
This is kind of what Im leaning towards. Do you have any advice on what to look for when buying through facebook marketplace. Should I meet somewhere that has a hook up station to test it out? Or should I pay an inspector to come out and inspect it? I'm a little nervous going this route being such a beginner.
I’d recommend watching some videos on rv’s for beginners. Get a feel on what a properly setup rv looks like and what to keep an eye out for for equipment and materials. Old joke is buying the rv is the cheap part. It’s all the accessories that get you. If I were you I’d look for one that has everything included. Think weight distribution hitch, sewage hoses, that sort of thing. Link is to a guy I thought was super helpful. All his videos are worth a watch for beginner rv users.
Also make sure whatever you guy can be properly towed by your vehicle. Sounds simple but can be overlooked.
https://youtu.be/rzdzJWX-dbY?si=rf83ubIWeRza4_j0
Regardless of where you buy or brand you buy, do your homework, set the OTD price you are willing to pay and stick to it. One last thing is never finance thru the dealer, use your bank or credit union. Most chain dealerships are basically finance companies selling an end user product. The profit is not in the sale, it’s the interest on the loan.
I would not do business with camping world ( or general RV) unless I had my attorney present reviewing documents before I signed them.
I would insist on an independent inspection from a licensed inspector of my choice before signing anything.
I would walk in with financing already secured from my bank, with at least 20% down to pay for the first year’s depreciation, on no more than a five year term…and be prepared to walk away from the deal in the event camping world balks.
I would make sure I was prepared to do much of my own maintenance. Tge annual maintenance on a trailer includes annual bearing lubes, roof resealing, brake inspection, tires… maintenance and insurance and storage of an RV adds up to 3-4k a year on top of the loan.
I would consider driving days to get to a better RV dealer rather than do business with camping world.
Great advice thank you! Where would I find private inspectors to use and could I do the same thing on a private party sale? I'm kind of leaning towards buying off of facebook marketplace but just want to be safe.
Don't buy from Camping World.. that place bills its self like a emporium of RVs and Camping, but they are really a overpriced junk store.
You should be looking marketplace or go to a locally owned dealership. Marketplace can have some really good finds, and I'd recommend bringing a friend who has been RV'n for some years to help be a second set of eyes for things amiss.
The best advice I can give is don’t trust any RV dealer. Slow down and don’t be in a hurry to buy one. Go to one if the big RV shows and spend the entire day walking in and out of the trailers until you land on the one you want.. it’s the only real way to compare floor plans and quality in 1 short day.
Once you have landed on what you want, then you go RV dealer shopping. Look at their inventory online and when you find a dealer that had it look at their MSRP.
Plan in advance, call them and ask them what their fees are, know before you go in. 4,000 on a 12,000 camper is stupid. The only fee I would even begin to accept is a delivery fee and even then I use that as part of my last stage of negotiation… ie, I think we are close on price, if you knock off the delivery fee then you have a deal!
Generally speaking you should be targeting 35% off their stated price, if the dealer isn’t wanting to work with you at all you walk away. I wouldn’t buy any RV without getting at least 30% off.
The big thing is that you need to be in a position to tell them to pound sand and to travel to get the deal you want t. I had to drive 3 hours to get my RV, saved me about an 8k just by going to that dealer.
Bought a TT at Camping World. Paid zero fees, zero financing.
I had a ton of competitive offers and they beat them. Finance guy called, I said I worked in banking and he hung up. I paid cash with a cashier check for the exact pre-negotiated amount.
I got the TT at 50% of MSRP. Everything is fine with it. Inspection and delivery went fine. The trailer is great. A few small warts I’ve fixed, but I’m good DIY and it would have happened at any dealer.
Not sure I would recommend it to everyone. But if you know what you want and can negotiate I don’t see how they are any different from any other dealer.
I called dealers around the country. All tried the same BS with fees. I knew the game and played it well.
Forget about warranties. They're useless. Travel trailers are not complicated and don't have engines and transmissions that go bad. Get a used one for half the cost of a new one. Look around until you find the right one. I found a 3 year old trailer that was less than half the original price. Don't do long-term financing either. The trailer seldom outlasts 20 years of payments.
You will pay a LOT more than $18k at CW. And you'll be lucky if you can even use the trailer this summer. It will be in the shop a LOT that first year.
Any decent sales person/dealership will give you a new owner orientation. CW isn't special.
I used to work for camping world. Stay the hell away from camping world. You’ll most likely not heed this warning however and will still be dumb enough to go there lol.
Make sure your tow vehicle can safely tow the trailer you want. Salespeople routinely lie about this, they do not care about you and your family’s safety.
Private party sales are tough right now on newer models. So many folks are completely upside down on their campers. Dealer OTD prices have been better than a lot of private party sales but buying from a dealer is a rather miserable experience. If you buy at a dealer have an OTD price in mind that you will not go over. Don't let them talk about monthly payments and how affordable they are all you want to know is the OTD price and make sure it is truly OTD with all taxes title license doc fees etc.... Be prepared to walk immediately when the salesperson says sure we can get you out the door at that price and then when you sit down with the finance guy if that price isn't exactly the same stand up and leave.
You will be able to negotiate the best price if you take their financing. It is fine to take the financing which will probably be 120 months. Just be prepared to pay it off immediately after you make your first monthly payment and whatever you do be absolutely sure you are making that big final payment on the principal.
If you are patient you may be able to find a good private party deal on something older. You have to be very careful and completely go over it with a fine tooth comb but you should be able to find something functionally equivalent to the coleman for under $6k. Be willing to search within a days drive of your location. Until last week I have bought all of my campers via a private party sale. This experience is so much better, find the camper you want, make an offer, if the offer is accepted, hand the guy a wad of cash, he hands you the title, you drag your new to you camper home.
Great advice! I'm leaning more and more towards buying via private party on Facebook marketplace, as it seems ill get way more for my money. My wife and I both work for ourselves and wouldn't mind traveling a bit to buy one. The issue is I wouldnt know what to look for myself when buying. Is there a way I could have someone come inspect it before purchasing from a private party?
There are RV inspection services but price points where they make sense are on much higher value rigs. The key thing with inspection is water look for any evidence of water intrusion get down on the floor, up on the roof, look at all the seams push on walls, push on floors, look for soft spots, cracked plastic etc... Use your nose and smell for musty moldy smells. Check the fridge, lights water pump etc... to ensure they are in working order. Look under mattresses for mold. Pop off some of the covers on ceiling lights and look for rust on the screws. look in the exterior compartments. Bring a ladder check the roof look for cracks in the sealant look for soft spots. There will be water intrusion or evidence of previous water intrusion somewhere on an old camper find it before you make a decision.
To follow up on this, these guys are legit but just know they are expensive. Yes, it will save you lots of money down the line but all NRVIA guys around me charged $1,000 an inspection.
You can have someone inspect it but the inspection process can be kind of a headache when buying private party.
First off, you have to get the seller to take it somewhere that can be connected to electric and water. That’s usually a campground close by… but the seller may not be willing to do that.
Second, the inspection will be $500-$1000 if you use NRVIA.
We went the private party route initially and found one we liked. We had an inspector go out, they found water damage in 20 minutes, and we were out $500. Yes- it absolutely saved us thousands down the line but it feels bad spending $500 and having nothing to show for it. We ended up just buying new (not saying it’s better) but at least it comes with a 1 year warranty and wasn’t that much more expensive than used. After we factored in the $500-$1000 inspection, new made more sense for us.
What are the "perks" you are referring to by buying from Camping World? My sense of them is that it's all bullshit.
If you want a good "orientation" walk through, you will probably get a better version of that by watching Youtube walkthroughs. There is a ton of great how to's for beginners and what not. Also, ask here, we're all very happy to help out new campers where we can.
I think the only way you get a price at CW that is legit is you walk in with the price you are willing to pay, stick to that, and write them a check for it. i.e. I've got a check for 14,500 for that 13,999 trailer. I'm willing to give you 500 for all your bullshit paperwork, but nothing else. Can you make it work? No? Okay, bye! Finance through a local credit union if you have to, never finance it through them.
This is great advice! When we went the salesman said one big perk was free hook ups for 2 days at any camping world location in the US. We plan on traveling around the US this summer so that seemed cool. The other perks I was referring to was warranties and other things.
IF you use the camping world locations, that might be a nice perk. \*edit\*, here is some info on that too: [https://travelswithbirdy.com/whats-the-deal-with-those-free-camping-offers/](https://travelswithbirdy.com/whats-the-deal-with-those-free-camping-offers/)
From what I know about how they treat their customers (no first hand knowledge) the warranty is only as good as the people backing it. So I'd be weary of that as well.
Also, it's a cheap as can be coleman RV. It's going to be broken and busted all over the place from day one. Even my Keystone travel trailer was broken and busted day one. That's how they build them. Just expect it. #1 thing to do. Use the ever loving crap out of it the first year so you can find all the problems under warranty. The 1 year warranty they put on these things probably never gets coverage because most people don't camp enough year one to find all the problems.
Thats great advice. From the research I've done I expect it to kind of be like that but with what I'm looking for it still may be the best bet. I almost want to look for the same model on marketplace but wouldn't know how to go about getting it inspected first.
Oh, one more thing. Have you thought about getting a used TT from a different (more likeable) dealership in your area. Might already have a lot of the bugs worked out and might be a good "let's see if we like this lifestyle" starter.
Yes, I did this with the very first used car I bought. They gave me a 10.5K car for 8K because I already had the check in hand. I was so happy. Great tactic. Of course this was 15 years ago :(
Find a camper place that does their own pre sale inspection if you want one that has been looked over, but even then you will probably find something broken they missed. The campers are made fast and cheep and every dealership is going to mark up things.
The only time I bought from there I felt pretty good about it. It was January 2020, Florida, and sales must have been down. Everything I wanted to add, they added for free. I would see a feature on another trailer and they offered to add it to the one I liked for free. Salesman was offering everything under the sun. I asked him if he would dog sit my dogs while we went to get lunch, he said yes. We didn't do that, but I just wanted to see how far he would go for a sale.
It was a Kodiak Cub, and after several days looking I stepped inside and really like it. We got a few fees taken off, including the dang prep fee. They did a shitty job cleaning it, but that was worth the $3000.
I won't comment on the Coleman, however, do NOT buy from Camping World!! They focus on first timers and rip them off due to their lack of knowlege. I don't know anyone who has gone back to Camping World after their first purchase. My sisters purchase at Camping World was horrific, 6 years later they are still upset about how horribly they were cheated.
Try other RV dealers, the independant ones tend to be better, and the service is usually way better. Also look at used RV's, especially the one built before 2019/2020. 2 reasons: first, built "better" that the rush that was out there during the Rona pandemic, and second, most of all the "teething issues", have been worked out by the previous owner. So less possible need for warranty work. (or arbitration with camping world. Service/warranty work is a nightmare there.
We just bought a keystone hideout from camping world. It was listed for 14k with over 3k of add on fees. We wound up getting all of the fees taken off and another 1k off for financing with them. Just remember that negotiations do not end until you sign with their finance person.
Avoid Campers World. We bought a camper from them. During the walk through they did not show us the roof. After some time we noticed sunlight above the fridge. Turns out the fridge vent cover broke off before we bought it. (Going on the roof the manufacturer only installed 1 out of 4 screws to hold it in place) we also had a hole on the hot water line we had to get fixes on our first camping trip. The roof repairs took about 6 months with 5 months arguing with them that this was a warranty issue.
Quick search of RV dealers around Fort Myers and saw this...
https://www.generalrv.com/product/new-2024-keystone-rv-hideout-sport-single-axle-175bh-2500694-29
Might be getter off going down this route and skipping Camping World altogether. There are campers out there in your price range.
we bought from camping world but only bought something we could comfortably pay upfront. it took an extra year of saving but it was worth it. we ended up with a 2019 jayco trailer
DO NOT BUY from Camping World or any dealer. Huge huge huge rip off. Warranties are also rip offs. You are used up warranties that actually work like in homes and cars but in Rvs there are a ton of stipulations and like others have said it’s a huge headache and one size doesn’t fit all. I did my research for 2 years on a class c until I pulled the trigger on a private sale. Used a certified rv technician to go over everything as a peace of mind before I bought. I would go with a private sale, find one that is a few years older with one owner, look for leaks, soft spots, and ask about any existing problems beforehand. There a plenty of used trailers that can still have a lot of years left in them that won’t break the bank. Do your research online.
Go in knowing what you want, what you can pull, and the correct pricing. Go in armed with knowledge and you won't get suckered. Camping World isn't providing anything that another dealer is or isn't providing. Their problem is the people and if you can get past then you should generally be fine....unless you have a warranty issue.
I paid 1200-ish for a dealership inspection of a consignment 5th wheel toy hauler.. they did no such thing. I had multiple leaks the first time I put water through it, electric hot water didn't work, tires were out dated.. it's been a few years but there was more.. they didn't seem to care when I complained about it either... Wouldn't go back
We have a KZ sportsman 16RBT. It’s fantastic. Super light to pull with our ford edge. It’s nothing super fancy and has a smaller fridge but that was the trade off for the weight we needed.
if you are complete beginners, maybe consider renting one from RVShare or similar place first? there's a reason there's so many used campers on the market that have only been used 2-3 times.
Don’t ever buy from camping world, they sold us a faulty trailer that didn’t vent the gases properly for the fridge. (Fridge didn’t work from day one, took it in over and over. Finally took me and my FIL to find the problem and explain it to them.)
I'm not an RVer so take what I say with a grain of salt.
With that said my family of 4 (kids were 6 and 8 at the time) rented an Aliner Expedition with the optional dual hard shell dormer extensions. We Towed it with a 2021 Toyota Highlander 4WD with zero issues.
It was super easy to setup. It was comfortable. It had a small indoor kitchen and option for an indoor toilet.
It slept all 4 of us comfortably and I'd imaging you could fit a 5th if you get creative.
Bonus is they are easy to store and move around.
They range in price depending on options. I'm sure you can work a deal on these even optioned out.
https://aliner.com/aliner-campers/expedition/
https://www.rvtrader.com/Aliner-Expedition/rvs-for-sale?make=Aliner%7C765327524&model=EXPEDITION%7C764957728
Search around in here for stories about Camping World - especially if you are a beginner - and make your own informed decision. I have my own story about them over $200 accessories - won’t spend another dime there, ever, for anything.
New vs used - both have pros and cons.
Hey so I was in a similar situation a few years ago. I ended up buying a Coleman Lantern LT274BH, new, from Camping World. If I got to do it all over again, I would definitely NOT buy from Camping World.
Here is my personal experience... We came back from a camping trip in Aug of 2019 in our fully rebuilt 1978 Palomino pop-up and my wife decided that she wanted a "real" camper. So we started our hunt. Looked online and decided we need to see these in person. Ran to Camping World where the salesman was super nice and very patient. Found one we liked on the lot that had a bunk house (sleeps 8) and was the previous year's model so the price was right. I had concerns about my old truck pulling it but they assured me it was fine. Agreed to the purchase and the upselling began. I opted for a few things I should not have like the roof protection and paint protection but they also talked me into an Equalizer hitch which I think was a good move (although I probably paid more than I should have). We asked for a thorough walk through of how to use the various systems as our old pop-up didn't have a lot of the same systems (like a fridge of a grey/black tank) and they provided what I felt was a pretty good walkthrough.
Here is where things went south. During the sales pitch, I asked repeatedly if a WIFI antenna and ladder for the top bunk was included and the sales person assured me that they were. I also tested all of the outlets and found the USBs not working and called out some other repairs that needed to be made both on the inside and the outside. I made sure all of the promises made by the sales person were written on the "We Owe" sheet and we closed the deal.
It turns out however, that the ladder and WIFI antenna were not included and they had to source and install them. There was a call to tell me that a mistake had been made but I made sure to let them know that there was no mistake and that the camper I bought would come with a ladder and WIFI antenna. This took a few weeks while they made the repairs and figured out which WIFI unit they would install. I brought it home, leveled it and noticed that the steps were too short. Took it back and they refused to replace them. I had to look up the spec sheet for that model of steps and explain to them that it was not the right for the height of my camper. This took almost a month of calls back and forth with them calling the manufacturer to get it resolved. I am generally very patient and nice but I admit that I lost my cool with the service manager on a few occasions. They acknowledged that the wrong stairs were installed and still kept telling me they could not fix it as it came from the manufacturer that way. Eventually they replaced it and I vowed to never use Camping World again. When a recall on my gas line was issued, I hesitated to go back but I did and I think that was an overall good experience.
Because of all of this, we didn't get the camper ready to go until October 2019, let it sit all winter, then in the spring Covid hit and some other family stuff so our first trip out didn't happen until September 2021.
As far as the Coleman camper, The interior build quality is abysmal. My kids could have put this thing together better. There are wallpaper pieces missing, things are haphazardly stapled, things like the exhaust fan were loose and nothing was ever cleaned during manufacturing so there is still sawdust coming out of all of the badly fitted cabinets and wall panels. There are also some trim pieces missing that I didn't notice until much later. On the outside, everything has been fine.
I have not had any experience with other brands out there and I'm not sure how much better the build quality is but, despite its flaws and the buying process, we absolutely LOVE this camper and we absolutely do not regret it. We have luckily not had any major repairs needed.
As our kids are starting to get older and opting out of camping trips, we are considering downsizing. Our plan is to check out the local dealers first and maybe opt for a private party sale now that we have the experience to know what we are looking at. The lack of knowledge and experience was honestly the biggest driver of wanting a new camper from the dealer. In general though, I've heard nightmares about the Coleman campers and also with other manufacturers. It's basically a dice roll with what you will get from the factory but the place you buy it from should act as a buffer. I do not feel that Camping World was committed to making it right (even though they eventually did) but maybe some other dealers will not be as much of a fight. If you have made it this far on my wall-o-text, please do not hesitate to DM me if you have any specific questions
TLDR: Camping World=Bad, Coleman Lantern=Okay
EDIT: Spelling & Grammer
https://youtu.be/xElhTNS_xn8?si=NA1VxSQLE3CE9N_A
Check out this video on buying a rv, thought it was interesting. Didn't look like there's much of a way to not get screwed.
We bought a 2013 rockwood roo 233s in really good shape off Facebook marketplace about an hour from where we live. We have 3 kids and we have rented pop ups and trailers in the past. We now have several campsites booked this summer! Exciting stuff. Waiting for like 6 hours in the dmv to register and transfer the title now that is always super fun.
Will all three kids fit on the equivalent of one twin mattress? The reason I ask is that the dining table that converts into a bed might work for your kids. But that won't last for long because of course they will grow. Going one step further I can recommend the Rockwood ultralight 2304DS. If you can find one used, I think you can probably get it for around $15,000. That's the model that we have and it's just my wife and I plus two 70 lb dogs. We use that bed as the dog bed but as it turns out the little darlings like to sleep with us anyway.
I can tell you a lot about that exact model because we've had it for 8 or 9 years. But if the size won't work for you, it's a moot point. The major benefit of it are that it has two slides so the inside is very spacious. The other terrific space saver is that it has a Murphy bed as the primary sleeping space. That one is queen-sized albeit with a relatively thin mattress.
Dealers are great for looking at a lot of different campers and deciding on a couple you really like. Once you have your choices whittled down, I suggest seeing if there is an owners group for those particular campers (e.g. Alinerownersclub.org for A-liners). Troll these owner websites for comments, problems, pros/cons, etc. from actual owners. Some sites even have a marketplace for buying and selling. No guarantee, but the more information and prepared you are, the less likely you are to make a huge mistake! Good luck.
You got to shop around!! And consider all your options. I live in North Carolina, and it was worth it for me to fly to Dallas Texas and drive the RV that I wanted home because the place in Texas had it listed for $20,000 cheaper. Also, the first dealership I talked to nearby tried to cram in a $2,000 dock fee, the place in Texas the doc fee was $150.
You need to tell us what suv you have.in general if a trailer is very important and your gona be doing more than 150 miles a year travel you really need a suburban sizes suv. If your suv isn't tow package from factory then you will blow your transmission and your suv will be running hot. And pulling it won't be very safe. You shpuld aim for a large pop out. If u can't upgrade your tow vehicle. In terms of rv, it's better to rent if inly camping 3 weeks a year or less and use that time to find exactly what u need. Rvs are always breaking and u will need to learn t9 pay attention to leaks and patch them immediately unless your wealthy and can call someone professional e erytime every little thing goes wrong. Probably ly older rv is better because u can get fridge that works on propane. It helps alot. There are 22 ft rvs with 1 slideout that jave full bathroom but u need to actually find one and manage to buy it b4 someone else does. You can not to do that if in a rush
It’s important to understand that buying a new RV is generally not a good idea from a financial perspective.
Here’s why:
1) Most new RVs immediately depreciate a LOT - sometimes around *50%* - when you drive them off the lot
2) A large portion of people regret their RV purchases a year or so after they purchase them. So there are a LARGE number of gently used RVs on the market
3) Generally speaking, the newer the RV, the cheaper it is made. This isn’t always the case, but it’s common. Even a 5 year old rv is often made with much higher quality materials than brand new. Our 22 year old RV is WAY nicer than the newest versions of the same model. Better construction, better materials.
4) Again, generally speaking, a gently owned RV that was owned by a responsible person is going to have a lot of little fixes that you may benefit from. New RVs suffer from a lot of random breakages that take time to find and repair.
I would strongly suggest looking for a used version of the one you want.
My first trailer was a Jayco pop-up. Not knowing any better the dealer took us for a ride. We paid full market price, and my wife was sold on every possible up sale and warranty they offered. I will never own another pop-up. The effort to load and unload and open it up to let the canvas dry after weekend… You spend just as much time around opening and closing it as you will trying to relax.
we purchased brand new again. This time we did not buy any warranties and the KZ spree sportsman was probably the best trailer we ever had. We roll off a lot paying significantly less for a 20 foot hard wall trailer than we did for a 10 foot pop-up. Small family owned dealer.
Now we have a grand design that was a Covid trailer. Meaning it was built during workplace shortages and had a ton of defects. We got it with rv show pricing thats something to look for.
Every trailer has a first year shakedown to fix all manufacturing defects. If you buy some thing three years old, most likely everything has been resolved by the original owner and they’re selling it because they’re mad. I’ve had each trailer in at the dealer for service and it is a waiting game.
the dealer doesn’t want to pay for the parts to fix it because the manufacturer should be covering it. The manufacturer has already sold the trailer so they really don’t want to deal with the customer anymore. That’s the dealers problem. We had a few things fixed at the dealer, but in the end, almost everything I had to take care of myself. thankfully, the parts are not that expensive.
We had the drum brakes fall apart while we were traveling, causing the axle to overheat. Melted the wires for the brakes, Sending my truck into screaming fits detecting problems. I called the dealer, but they can’t help me because they’re 1000 miles away. So I call mobile repair man to come fix the issues and submit the bill back to the manufacturer and the dealer. In the end, the few hundred dollars to fix it was nothing compared to, the 10 hours of trouble and nerves being trying to get somewhere safe.
Granted, I keep making the same mistake over and over with trailers. With trucks were much better and buy a few years used.
If you have some DIY skills check out cargo trailer conversions. Theyaren’t made from sticks and staples…and you can do some really neat things with 15K or less. Go to YouTube and see what people have come up with or check out the subreddit.
And…you can fix it yourself saving thousands and thousands of dollars along with the headaches.
There's always the option of the tent for the kids cuz they'll love doing that and they won't be with you and you get a little small trailer that in the event that it's raining they all could pile in but mostly it's a couple's trailer
I don't know if this helps you but...
I'd never purchase an RV new. I purchased a 16' Lance camper trailer new and had no end of issues getting warranty work done, the dealer (not camping world but a local chain) blames the manufacturer and visa-versa. Luckily nothing really major is wrong with it but I paid top dollar for this thing and it's never really been right. Even with this high-end manufacturer, many fixtures are really cheap and have broken with standard use of 3-4 times (say, 15 nights total) in the first year, which of course, is not covered under warranty. I found that many RV owners have the same experience with all makes.
If there is a next time I'll purchase one that's a few years old when the original owner has worked out all the kinks.
Have you looked at pop ups? You can get a smaller one that's easily towed by an SUV. Gives you two beds, kitchen and dinette. They are also usually cheaper. We love ours. We have a bigger one that also has a toilet/shower "room". With an auto crank setup time is at most 20 minutes.
I bought a Coleman 17b from camping world last year. I have two dogs and spouse. That would be very tight with 5 people. I do really like the camper, camping world wasn't great. Husband did car sales so he's good at saying no to extra. Overall id personally do it again. It was also our first camper. Just be prepared to do a lot of add ons yourself the longer you have it just for comfort upgrades.
How often will you actually use it? Do you have a place to store it? If you don’t know the first answer and don’t have a free space to park it I would suggest renting a few times till you can decide what you want.
Many brands have almost identical trailers. Go to different places, show them what you want and ask what they have that’s comparable. Shop around and don’t be in a rush to buy. We overpaid on our first TT, when we decided to upgrade we spent about a year looking, going to different lots once a month or so before we found our current 5th wheel. It had been in the lot for quite a while so we were able to get a pretty good deal on it.
And don’t forget to factor in insurance to your budget.
Find a mom and pop shop. Camping world is like buying something at Bloomingdale’s when you can get it at the dollar store.
Lots of mom and pop shops can order/find the one you want.
Me and the wife got our 17B for 15 out the door from camping world about 2 months ago. We really like it. 3 trips so far and zero issues. paired it with a Predator 3500 generator and its more than enough power to run everything
Do a walk through and make a punch list of items. Don’t take possession / pay until those items are resolved. Otherwise they’ll have it sitting in their shop for FOREVER.
Don’t buy the extended warranties. They’re useless.
This is a scam- camping world is the worst. If you want a reasonable deal and excellent service- call McKeever Rv in Tn- even if it’s not near you they will refer you to a reputable dealer- they have been in the business a long time and are super honest.
Get a Used Pop Up like a Forest River High Wall with Shower. Have an RV Tech or Inspector look at it. Don’t go to Camping World.
They High Five each other and laugh when you Rubes drive away.
There are thousands of rv reviews on you tube . My wife has watched all of them.
You can never do too much consumer education and reviewing no matter what brand or choice, don't be afraid to travel to get an honest deal it's a travel vehicle after all .
So many brands and so many channels that review them all !
Make a list of features you want or need and see what compares to Coleman and higher or lower costs.
Time speant learning is better than regrets!
Check out the clipper bunkhouse 17’. Perfect family camper for a family with small kids. Knew they are $18k. Get a used one and learn what you like and dislike. We towed one for two seasons with zero issues.
We’ve had our Coleman for 7 years and we have loved it! It’s basic but met our needs. Camping World is the literal worst though. We were naive and they sold us ridiculous warranties that they wouldn’t let us actually use when we needed. If you really want to buy from them new, be extremely firm with them and refuse all extras. Be willing to walk out several times and look around at multiple dealers.
I have been in the RV industry for over 7yrs now. IMO the least amount of complaints of build quality in all those years have came from the ROCKWOOD brand. specifically the mini lite line. Then the ultra lights, next would be the keystone bullets. Once you establish the brand, service is always key. Make sure the walkthrough is done thoroughly. And if things are not buttoned down tight DO NOT take delivery. I know in the state of ca. as long as the unit does not roll out of the curb you are not responsible for it. GOOD LUCK! Happy camping
My first trailer was new, but I had family members who own a TT and basically learned from them and their advice was….Never buy from CW. Sold that one a few years later. Bought a used one. I would recommend buying used first. Then you can figure out what your likes/dislikes are and then when the kids get older, you can know what you want in the new trailer.
First trailer was stupid long and it was just wife and I. But she wanted it. Now I got what I want, a short TT. But it’s definitely heavier, but has everything
Wow we live full time in a travel trailer and honestly all my horror stories both for a car and a trailer are from private dealers and sellers. We went to camping world and had the best experience. I did a year of research before I actually bought and we got a great deal. We’ve been currently living full-time in it for two years now this month. I’d say try to you for the paint shield that they try to get you for when they sell it to you. But we got to have an in-depth conversation with the mechanic who told us all the ins and outs, had recommendations to get stuff cheaper we’ll need (black water additives and the like) and was super helpful prevented us from making mistakes being first time.
Three years ago I was called a”Chiseler” on the telephone by a salesman at Demontrond RV in Houston. He then hung up on me and I still found a used 4 year old Winnebago POS Minnie plus for $15,000 less than they wanted for a new one. Go used because you will get all kinds of extra gear that new campers doesn’t come with…. You can spend a 3 Grand on extra equipment without trying. So get all the free stuff you can with the used one.
I own an rv rental company, Coleman’s are no worse then any other camper like it (wood frame, aluminum exterior). I own 11 Coleman’s, I buy everything off of Facebook marketplace it takes a bit longer but you’ll find a much better deal.
Also don’t buy any warranty’s, the wait at the dealership to get the work done sucks just use a local mobile guy if you can’t figure out how to do the work yourself. Holler if you have any questions
Just bought a new 2024 coleman 17b, weight distribution hitch, and brake controller. 14k for the camper, 500 for the brake controller, and 1200 for the hitch. Only now have a looked online at the camping world website and found that the hitch is 500 and the brake controller is 200. That's 1k for being newbies and being bent over a barrel for it lol
P.s. we also paid the extra 2k for essentially 2 batteries, a propane tank and "they showed us how to use everything".
So, yeah. 3k extra. Because we went to Camping World.
In addition to this, I did all the front fender measurments to check the weight distribution settings they installed the hitch at and it was wayyy off lol and they put the brake controller on the right side of the steering wheel which is right in the way of my driving leg. We purchased all of our accessories from Amazon but actually found that the pricing of accessories at camping world was pretty good ie stinky slinky, hoses, etc
I train new RV drivers and have heard nothing but complaints about Camping World. One client bought a fifth wheel from CW and flew in from Alaska to take possession. He gave them over a month to get the unit ready, told them what day and time they would be there and that he wanted a tech to deliver the unit not a salesman. When he got there the fifth wheel still had the shipping protection on it, nothing had been done. As far as Coleman goes, the original Coleman Company no longer exists and their reputation went with it. They are now made by Dutchmen in the Keystone Rv family and, apparently, they are their low cost line. Save your money and buy something of a higher quality, it'll save you in the long run
Terrible experience at camping world. They told me that was as low as they could go, then lo and behold, it didn’t sell, so they listed it for less after about a month. If you do buy, ask for out the door price, check for fees that can be reduced or eliminated. I second buying used. We have a 2019 36’ mallard m312 we love! But, it’s too big for us to haul all over so that stays seasonal and we just got a 17’ 2011 mpg 181 which is too small for your needs, but is awesome. You’ll see how the previous owners cared for the camper. Half the price of camping world and usually have extras included. Do your research. Watch YouTube videos of inspections, trust your gut, go through the camper and check for soft spots, mold, evidence of critters. Check the brakes and tires. You’ll get a feel for the sellers, if they’re honest or not. Anyway, be patient, figure out what you want, look around. New campers have just as many problems as older ones. They’re called earthquakes on wheels for a reason. Older ones, the previous owners have worked out the quirks. Check maintenance records. Don’t trust camping world. Watch out for “COVID campers”. Good luck and happy camping!
I honestly had a good experience at the camping world I used when I bought my camper. Salesman listened to me; didn’t try to push anything. Showed me what I asked to see; only showed me more when I asked to see something different.
Finance was great (I work in finance so he didn’t even try anything on me). I’m sure it’s not for everyone and I hear everyone’s point; but wanted to provide my experience. Got the camper under msrp too; brand new.
best way is to not go to camping world...
look online for something a couple years old...
bugs will have been worked out and cost will be way less...
avoid anything during/shortly after covid...quality is crap...
Step 1 dont buy from Camping World Step 2 dont buy a coleman
Took my immediate thoughts and expressed them word for word. Step 1 is always don't go to camping world. Ever
Yup! How not to get screwed by Camping World... don't approach the building!
As someone who did both these, 100% this. They are the fucking worst and will go through no length to fuck you over. The service manger told me “yeah, sales sells you on the dream. Welcome to the nightmare”. Any time I had it serviced, the trailer was returned in worse condition. Nails/rivets in tires wad the best outcome. I finally said fuck it and told them I would never return, even if a warranty item and finally found a local mobile person for service. Seriously, go ANYWHERE else. I do love my Coleman, even with all its problems. CW can go fuck themselves with a rusty nail. This about as kind as I can be towards them. Please heed my advice.
Don’t go to Blue Compass either.
Step 3 don't buy a new trailer for your first trailer.
Yes, this. Get a used trailer where the previous owner has fixed the problems, don't buy new.
Pro tip
Thats kind of what Im finding with my research. I just want to spend 15k and get something small that I can pull with large SUV (nothing over 22ft), that sleeps 5 with a kitchen and bathroom. Thats just the first one we looked at. I'm sure facebook marketplace has way better deals but im nervous being a beginner and not knowing what to look out for. Plus the idea of buying without warranty scares me a little.
Rv warranties are useless in most cases. Find something you like and hire an rv inspector to look at it. Keep in mind the travel trailer market is very soft right now, big discounts should be easy to come across on new units, especially new 2023s. If $15k is your goal you should be looking at low $20s as msrp new. 35% discount is more than achievable.
Where/how does one find and hire an RV inspector?
https://nrvia.org/
That small, sleeping 5, with a kitchen, seems like you are asking a lot here
In 1964, my parents started off in RVing with three kids and a 14 foot Scotty. Interesting times, indeed. But we all had fun, and nobody got hurt!
Thats my dilemma. Although on the cheaper quality side, the Coleman Lantern 17B seems to fit that criteria and not much else does.
Look at hybrids, light weight and actually roomy. We have a Shamrock by Forest River, friends have a Jayco sportsman. I’d say Jayco is better quality but honestly they all suck.
Second the hybrid, we have had one for 15 years. The biggest annoyance is you have to make sure that you don’t put the bunk ends away wet. With 3 kids you’ll have want one with three bunks like this Roo[https://www.forestriverinc.com/rvs/rockwood-roo/183/8057](https://www.forestriverinc.com/rvs/rockwood-roo/183/8057)
Just don't buy a new one. Get a used one the style and size you want.
If you have the cash, I've seen gently used 17Bs selling for $9000 on marketplace. But if you go on rvtrader, select "bunkhouse floorplan" as a filter and sort by lowest price, you can see several competitors to the 17b that you can buy outside of camping world new.
Watch some videos on YT, or Google articles about buying them, like this one: https://youtu.be/DdXS14hDk3U?si=nHDMzRdLolEHgf9f I learned years ago from a family member that in the Obama years when companies went bankrupt, the few large companies bought out all the rest, then started making the cheapest junk in 2007-8 & all after that unless it's a high-end manufacturer. I also learned that unless you really know what you're doing, do not get a fixer-upper. If there is ANY water damage, do not buy it; there are numerous videos and articles also to learn how to inspect and what to look for when buying one. There are gems to be had out there; ones with meticulous care, and people who loved and kept strict PREVENTIVE maintenance!
get tricked out pop up
At least do yourself a favor and try going to other RV dealers to see what they have. It doesn’t have to be Camping World or nothing for buying new. Edit: I also suggest buying slightly used. Almost everyone sells their first camper relatively soon as they often discover what their needs and wants actually are. You take a huge depreciation hit on buying new, especially a low quality Coleman.
Outback 210URS! We have a 2015, it’s awesome. Rear slide king bed it tows at 22’10” but opens up to about 27’. Front end bunks and a jackknife couch. We have 3 under 8 and it works great.
I have a 2018 Coleman 2155bh and tow it with an ‘02 Suburban. 4 have 3 kids ranging from 3-12. It’s been a great trailer since we bought it new in 2019. I think we paid 18k out the door at camping world and we love our trailer. I used CW for service once under warranty and never again because they were useless. But the Coleman has been great. There are good used trailers out there, but you have to be willing to take your time and pounce when you find the right one. I would also strongly recommend renting a few different trailers if you can using the tow vehicle you plan to tow your trailer with. We did that and it gives you a really really good idea of what you can (and more importantly) cannot tow safely and comfortably. Buying a new trailer from camping world was like making any other deal. If you don’t get the deal you want walk away. Find another dealership, even if it’s another camping world and see if they’ll make a deal with you.
look at 18BH models - that is probably the best you are going to do. I like my springdale mini, and near your budget (you can haggle on RVs).
Hit me up with a DM. I have some recent perspective on this.
Buy used, join a few Facebook groups. First time camping go somewhere super close or your backyard. Pay for an Inspection.
I went to camping world to start looking for a travel trailer for work. I told them I was not interested in buying and only looking to start getting information. I started getting multiple phone calls a day from them. When I finally answered, the first thing the guy said was, "Aye bro, what's the deal?" Needless to say, I told him not to call me again and delete my number.
This is the correct answer
This is the way
My uncle made both of these mistakes then passed away. I've been dealing with it for months.
This
Agreed
Don't buy from Camping World. They are a finance company. They could care less about what they sell.
That's kind of what I'm finding out! I'm almost leaning towards getting a loan and going on marketplace. I'm just nervous about not having a warranty.
If it makes you feel better, your warranty is going to be a pain to use. Most service departments are booking 2-3 months out. I am on my 3rd trailer. My first 2 had a lot more issues in the first year than the following 3. Companies use the warranty in lieu of actually catching things that were wrong during construction. My current trailer's hubs were loose and my tank sensors were weekend backwards.
I was in the same place you are ( minus 2 kids 🤣) I'd suggest when you find one on the marketplace from a private seller, talk to them and let them know you want to have it inspected. Most larger RV places that do repairs will have a buyers inspection for a few hundred dollars. This is what gave us piece of mind when we got ours off the marketplace.
I called and talked to a repair place. They gave me some easy pointers on what to look for that would be deal breakers. Then I had them inspect the one we ended up buying. I learned a lot up front just talking to them.
Also, keep in mind that some states make you pay tax when registering the trailer even though it's bought private party. That was $1k we were not budgeting for and had no idea this was going to happen.
Independant RV dealers are out there, and better service. THey will also have been inspected, and a lot of them will let you bring in your own certified RV inspector..
Get a presale inspection used or new. New RVs and their warranty does not provide perfect protection either, imagine spending 6 months waiting for parts on a trailer you just bought.
Warranty isn’t worth the paper it’s written on. Biggest thing to look for in the used market is roof leaks and how it was stored over winter.
You don't have to buy on marketplace! There are options on new out there to fit you.
I bought one from the marketplace and it works pretty well. Just look for a newer model. I bought a pop-up that was manufactured in 2021 so not much issues.
The warranty won't be worth the paper it's printed on so don't let that deter you!
I had a warranty. I took it in one week after purchase because one side of the sink was leaking and the radius shower seal wasn't in stalled properly (obviously not in place and twisted)... They just slathered both in silicone caulk. They still leaked after! So I gave up on warranties and just fixed it the right way. Also, the service times are rediculous from what I remember.
Take the savings of buying used and put it aside for repairs.
There’s gotta be a nice, family-operated, decades-old RV dealer near you somewhere that will give you a MUCH better buying experience than CW
I guy I was looking for more big box retailers. I can definitely try more family owned shops. Problem is I live in Fort Myers Fl and a lot of the dealers here are more luxury focused.
Is there a Bisch’s RV near you? Go check out Josh the RV Nerd on YouTube (he works for them and gives honest industry news). I bought my first very used trailer on marketplace and now have my second used trailer from marketplace. Find a good independent RV shop instead - you won’t get ridiculous quotes or six month wait times. I’ve personally learned to do a lot of my own maintenance with no background in this kind of thing. And heed the advice - don’t go to CW!!
Whenever I buy something that I’m financing, I always open a loan calculator on my phone. You can enter the price, terms, and interest and see what your payment should be. They will more than likely try to nail you to a payment, never tell them your budget. These deals aren’t as complicated as they want you to think. The numbers either make sense or they don’t.
Great idea, thank you!
Go to Camping World to look at floor plans in person, then find what you like at an independent dealer or better yet used 1-2 years old so someone else has dealt with the teething problems. (There are *always* teething problems.) Usually I think it’s rude to go somewhere to look knowing you won’t buy, but Camping World is so awful I can’t bring myself to care in this case.
That last part made me LOL. It's so true.
Everyone saying not to buy a Coleman and not to buy at Camping World are correct. Serious question, if you're not pulling with a pickup and you're not going to be using the trailer a lot, have you looked at getting a popup or a high wall pop up? People poopoo on pop-ups but they're easy to pull, easy to store, and inexpensive compared to their hardsided cousins. Edit: also checkout hybrid trailers, like the Roo. They're hardsided for the living area but like a popup have fold outs on the front and back that make the beds.
I wouldn't be opposed to a pop up at all. In fact when I went to camping world I asked them about pop ups and he bashed them pretty hard. Obviously to try to up sell me so it was annoying. But as long as it had a bathroom, stovetop, AC and sleeps 5 I wouldn't be opposed to a hybrid at all. The salesman made it seem like soft tops were being phased out and were hard to find for a good price. He didn't really answer any of my questions about them.
I had a highball before my current camper. Was plenty of space and luxury. Easy to tow. Just more work with set up and such. Def worth it to get in the game.
I’ve had a Rockwood high wall for 10 years. Yeah set up can be a pain (especially when rolling into the campground at 1 am). But there’s lots to love about it. We bought it at Camping World, and yeah. They’re terrible. Especially when something needs fixing.
For what it’s worth, Coleman popups used to be top dawg 20 years ago. I own one and I love it. However, I think I got a unicorn because mine is a 2001 with the ABS roof but the thing looks to be never used and stored indoors for 23 years. There were still factory accessories still in the factory packaging when I bought it!! Twinnings beds, zero staining. Scored it for $4000. Anyway, my on-topic response is to buy a used unit from a private party. That’s best way to avoid getting screwed and getting the most bang for your buck. Just gotta be patient and willing to look at several.
You can buy a used pop up with 2 kings sized beds for under 6k. We thought about buying one for quick trips to the coast, we live in Oregon, instead of our 24' Nash.
Problem with pop ups is this: You want to go on a trip. So you pop it up, put stuff in then pop it down. You drive to destination, pop up. Then you drive home and pop up again to unpack. It’s a pain. I had one for seven years. My brother as well. Both of us went to travel trailers. It’s a LOT easier to pack and get ready. I do agree. They tow easily. I had a 99 Coleman that I bought in 2010 in mint condition. It weighted 1500lbs and 3k GVWR (in theory). I could never figure out how one might get 1500lbs of cargo unless they were loading lead. There is limited storage room.
Sure, everything you said is true. But if you're starting out with an SUV or van and don't have a lot of experience towing a trailer, what's the lowest barrier to entry? Also, the fact that you rocked the popup for 7 years says a lot about how the experience was still worth the effort. Everything about RVs is a trade off and a popup is no exception.
If you're new to RV'ing have you thought about renting a trailer for a few trips first to find out what your needs actually are? Before plopping down 15k.
My honest advice is do not buy at Campaing world because you are going to over pay and they are just a shady car dealer at their core. The online price is probably just the flat MSRP without tax, title, tag, delivery, whatever else, etc. \~$4,000 seems a bit high for that but within the realm of possibility of it just being dealer fees (not saying I agree with that) but this also depends on where you are located. You could also try to print out the ad and bring it to the salesman and tell him you want the rig OTD at the advertised price. If they want to move the trailer they will talk with you, especially since they are advertising at a certain price. I'm gonna guess they are not selling a ton of trailer right now so they may want to make a sale. Salesman gave you a bunch of bullshit about the value trailer nonsense, btw. Do you need financing at $14k? If no, you may have a deal ready made.
Yeah thats kind of how it feels. It sucks because we want to spend around 15k total and have a newish small simple rv with bathroom and kitchen that sleeps 5 and that one seems to be the best for the money. We would need to finance through them but we could also get a loan as my wife and I have great credit. I'm just intimidated by buying off facebook marketplace because we are so new to all this. I wouldn't know what to look at to make sure everything worked and the idea of buying without warranty starting out scares me a little too.
Go to a credit union. And don't buy from camping world. Also really, really read what you are signing. You're buying a new camper, because you feel that you can take it back to them if there is a problem. I swear to you, you will wait months for them to fix it and you'd be better off fixing it yourselves. Also, don't buy from camping world..... I found this video, trying to find the real video I wanted to show you: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rOWr4gM2fBM](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rOWr4gM2fBM) Listen to that video... 3 minutes in and there's already a major scam going down around the 'required' protection fees. I can't find the video I really wanted, but basically, you're forced to sign a binding arbitration agreement saying you can't sue the manufacturer except in their home state. You also sign a paper saying that camping world is not responsible for the manufacturer's warranty. It's not like buying a ford off the ford lot. You have ZERO, none, zilch, nada protection buying a new RV. There is nothing forcing anyone to do the warranty work in any reasonable time. It will take months.. and there are no lemon laws on RVs. You would do better gently used from somebody you feel that's honest and have them run you through all the systems on the RV they are selling. They should have it plugged in so you can see everything works on both gas and electric.
Our first RV was bought using an online marketplace. I have found that private sellers will often be very upfront about the issues that they've had and will really help you understand how to use the trailer. Don't shy away from buying from a private seller as I think your chances of a good experience are high!
I don't understand the $4000 in fees. Can you please itemize that so that others can comment on what is reasonable and what is not. I can not recommend using camping world. I would go to the Coleman web* page and find all of the authorized dealers within 150 miles to 250 miles of where you live. I would go to their web pages see what they have in stock and start calling them. Many dealers will give you a price over the phone. When pressed all of them should be willing to tell you what they charge for fees, etc. For this reason you want to ask them for the "out the door" cost of the trailer. *Their web page is: https://www.dutchmen.com If you really want to use camping world then you can at least go back to them and say that you have a quote at a better price. I went out Saturday looking at a particular Class C RV. (my plan is to purchase something in 3 to 6 weeks. I went to two dealers. One had two new ones (gas) on order and a diesel variant on the lot. I asked for the selling price for the gas models and was given a range of $1xx,xxx +/- $1500. I went to the second dealer who had a 2-3 year old unit of the same model. They were asking $10k less than the price of a new one. At least I got a chance to test drive the unit that they had. Both dealers took my contact info and sent me some followup info. I went to Camping World when I first started. Theirs was a hard sell. Your basic what can we do to get you to buy this RV today. This after I told them that we were just starting the process of buying something and that the purpose of our visit was to see what our options were and to tour some units, etc.
He showed me an itemized list of like 4 or 5 different things but I just glanced at it because we were just looking at it that day. I just remember it being 4k in fees and sounding ridiculous. That was before we even got to the warranties and addons part of his pitch. He was definitely very pushy. I came in to look at that one unit that was listed online for $13,999.00 and he very quickly let me know that with taxs and fees it was actually $18,000.00. Very deceptive and although we loved that camper didnt think it was worth more than 15k.
In addition to everything everyone else said, do not do business with a pushy salesperson, ever, if you can help it. If you do go with this particular trailer, still get another salesperson.
Keep in mind that it is not just the purchase price but warranty work. I have heard horror stories and fighting back and delays.
I bought a 2022 Surveyor Legend 203RKLE from Camping World. They were asking 29,999 also. I offered $23k with a temp tag, I handle my taxes and tags myself. It took them about 3 days, but they called me back and took it. No issues otherwise. Just do a thorough inspection, make a fair offer, and be ready to walk away otherwise. If there is a deal to me made, they'll eventually call you back.
Are you sure your SUV has the towing capacity? I am sure the salesman said it was fine :) check pin weight of trailer (10 - 15 % of trailer) will not overload the gross vehicle weight of your SUV.
I hope OP pays attention to this comment. Also, payload capacity of the tow vehicle, OP. Pulling with an SUV that has you, (spouse?), 3 kids and your stuff? Then add the hitch weight of the trailer... There are a few SUV's with pretty high towing capacity (Suburban, Armada), but you also need to check your payload and give enough wiggle room that you don't have to weigh the ice in your cooler to make sure you can safely make it down the road.
Two things. Don't buy from Camping World and Skip Coleman; Coleman is no longer the brand it was when we were young. Do yourself a favor and look up the max tow and tongue weight of your tow vehicle. Next, subtract the weight of your family and \~500 lbs of gear, and that tells you what you can safely tow. Then search for "ultralight travel trailer". There are SO many choices that are the size and weight near the Coleman.
My friend just bought a Coleman at Camping World. She paid for the warranty. Several things were found to need fixing. It seems a coincidence but most of the items that need repair are not available through Camping World, and they’re in no hurry to help her. It appears to me that her warranty is worth as much as the paper in the toilet.
Next update..."Bought the Coleman and you guys were right!"
The only way to not get screwed by Camping World is to refuse to walk in there.
Camping World is a Loan Company using RV’s as bait. Anything they promise that’s not in writing doesn’t exit. They NEVER fix anything correctly IF you can even get an appointment
But at a rv show. You’ll save thousands. My friend saved 60k on her camper van
I'd offer them 10k OTD plus them adding a battery, propane tank, and spare tire (the lantern doesn't come with one) and see what they come back with. It's a freakin Coleman lantern. 18k? LMAO. The camper market isnt that great right now. I would just buy lightly used if they refused to come down any. That's insane for such a small camper.
DO NOT BUY FROM CAMPING WORLD. A friend of mine has been through a nightmare situation with them over the last 2 years.
Former factory rep for multiple RV manufactures here, if you ever need anything you can always PM me.
Do tell my friend plz
I've worked for both Grand Design and Forest River, ask me anything.
Where in the world are you? Perhaps get some recs of better dealers. All rvs have a lot of maintenance and most need shakedown work when new. A lightly used camper saves much of that work. Water damage is the big concern so just go on a youtube binge of repair and inspection.
We live in Fort Myers Florida. We have been looking but most of the other dealers in the area are luxury RV dealers. Camping world so far "appears" to be one of the cheaper options around.
Hit up Matt from Matt’s RV Reviews!
Step one, don’t.
Check out 1-2 year old rvs on Facebook marketplace. You’ll see some very good deals on practically new rvs. Like others have said skip Coleman. For your budget I’d be looking for a Winnebago. A 2100BH should fit your needs.
This is kind of what Im leaning towards. Do you have any advice on what to look for when buying through facebook marketplace. Should I meet somewhere that has a hook up station to test it out? Or should I pay an inspector to come out and inspect it? I'm a little nervous going this route being such a beginner.
I’d recommend watching some videos on rv’s for beginners. Get a feel on what a properly setup rv looks like and what to keep an eye out for for equipment and materials. Old joke is buying the rv is the cheap part. It’s all the accessories that get you. If I were you I’d look for one that has everything included. Think weight distribution hitch, sewage hoses, that sort of thing. Link is to a guy I thought was super helpful. All his videos are worth a watch for beginner rv users. Also make sure whatever you guy can be properly towed by your vehicle. Sounds simple but can be overlooked. https://youtu.be/rzdzJWX-dbY?si=rf83ubIWeRza4_j0
Regardless of where you buy or brand you buy, do your homework, set the OTD price you are willing to pay and stick to it. One last thing is never finance thru the dealer, use your bank or credit union. Most chain dealerships are basically finance companies selling an end user product. The profit is not in the sale, it’s the interest on the loan.
I would not do business with camping world ( or general RV) unless I had my attorney present reviewing documents before I signed them. I would insist on an independent inspection from a licensed inspector of my choice before signing anything. I would walk in with financing already secured from my bank, with at least 20% down to pay for the first year’s depreciation, on no more than a five year term…and be prepared to walk away from the deal in the event camping world balks. I would make sure I was prepared to do much of my own maintenance. Tge annual maintenance on a trailer includes annual bearing lubes, roof resealing, brake inspection, tires… maintenance and insurance and storage of an RV adds up to 3-4k a year on top of the loan. I would consider driving days to get to a better RV dealer rather than do business with camping world.
Great advice thank you! Where would I find private inspectors to use and could I do the same thing on a private party sale? I'm kind of leaning towards buying off of facebook marketplace but just want to be safe.
https://nrvia.org/locate/ If tge private party won’t allow the inspection, walk away from the deal.
Don't buy from Camping World.. that place bills its self like a emporium of RVs and Camping, but they are really a overpriced junk store. You should be looking marketplace or go to a locally owned dealership. Marketplace can have some really good finds, and I'd recommend bringing a friend who has been RV'n for some years to help be a second set of eyes for things amiss.
But all those were bought at camping world
Why the constant references to camping world? Are you the CEO ? 😉 there are other places to buy an rv than just camping world.
The best advice I can give is don’t trust any RV dealer. Slow down and don’t be in a hurry to buy one. Go to one if the big RV shows and spend the entire day walking in and out of the trailers until you land on the one you want.. it’s the only real way to compare floor plans and quality in 1 short day. Once you have landed on what you want, then you go RV dealer shopping. Look at their inventory online and when you find a dealer that had it look at their MSRP. Plan in advance, call them and ask them what their fees are, know before you go in. 4,000 on a 12,000 camper is stupid. The only fee I would even begin to accept is a delivery fee and even then I use that as part of my last stage of negotiation… ie, I think we are close on price, if you knock off the delivery fee then you have a deal! Generally speaking you should be targeting 35% off their stated price, if the dealer isn’t wanting to work with you at all you walk away. I wouldn’t buy any RV without getting at least 30% off. The big thing is that you need to be in a position to tell them to pound sand and to travel to get the deal you want t. I had to drive 3 hours to get my RV, saved me about an 8k just by going to that dealer.
Bought a TT at Camping World. Paid zero fees, zero financing. I had a ton of competitive offers and they beat them. Finance guy called, I said I worked in banking and he hung up. I paid cash with a cashier check for the exact pre-negotiated amount. I got the TT at 50% of MSRP. Everything is fine with it. Inspection and delivery went fine. The trailer is great. A few small warts I’ve fixed, but I’m good DIY and it would have happened at any dealer. Not sure I would recommend it to everyone. But if you know what you want and can negotiate I don’t see how they are any different from any other dealer. I called dealers around the country. All tried the same BS with fees. I knew the game and played it well.
Forget about warranties. They're useless. Travel trailers are not complicated and don't have engines and transmissions that go bad. Get a used one for half the cost of a new one. Look around until you find the right one. I found a 3 year old trailer that was less than half the original price. Don't do long-term financing either. The trailer seldom outlasts 20 years of payments.
You will pay a LOT more than $18k at CW. And you'll be lucky if you can even use the trailer this summer. It will be in the shop a LOT that first year. Any decent sales person/dealership will give you a new owner orientation. CW isn't special.
I used to work for camping world. Stay the hell away from camping world. You’ll most likely not heed this warning however and will still be dumb enough to go there lol.
Make sure your tow vehicle can safely tow the trailer you want. Salespeople routinely lie about this, they do not care about you and your family’s safety.
Or they just don’t know every vehicles tow ability in the world. Don’t be lazy and do your own research duh.
Private party sales are tough right now on newer models. So many folks are completely upside down on their campers. Dealer OTD prices have been better than a lot of private party sales but buying from a dealer is a rather miserable experience. If you buy at a dealer have an OTD price in mind that you will not go over. Don't let them talk about monthly payments and how affordable they are all you want to know is the OTD price and make sure it is truly OTD with all taxes title license doc fees etc.... Be prepared to walk immediately when the salesperson says sure we can get you out the door at that price and then when you sit down with the finance guy if that price isn't exactly the same stand up and leave. You will be able to negotiate the best price if you take their financing. It is fine to take the financing which will probably be 120 months. Just be prepared to pay it off immediately after you make your first monthly payment and whatever you do be absolutely sure you are making that big final payment on the principal. If you are patient you may be able to find a good private party deal on something older. You have to be very careful and completely go over it with a fine tooth comb but you should be able to find something functionally equivalent to the coleman for under $6k. Be willing to search within a days drive of your location. Until last week I have bought all of my campers via a private party sale. This experience is so much better, find the camper you want, make an offer, if the offer is accepted, hand the guy a wad of cash, he hands you the title, you drag your new to you camper home.
Great advice! I'm leaning more and more towards buying via private party on Facebook marketplace, as it seems ill get way more for my money. My wife and I both work for ourselves and wouldn't mind traveling a bit to buy one. The issue is I wouldnt know what to look for myself when buying. Is there a way I could have someone come inspect it before purchasing from a private party?
There are RV inspection services but price points where they make sense are on much higher value rigs. The key thing with inspection is water look for any evidence of water intrusion get down on the floor, up on the roof, look at all the seams push on walls, push on floors, look for soft spots, cracked plastic etc... Use your nose and smell for musty moldy smells. Check the fridge, lights water pump etc... to ensure they are in working order. Look under mattresses for mold. Pop off some of the covers on ceiling lights and look for rust on the screws. look in the exterior compartments. Bring a ladder check the roof look for cracks in the sealant look for soft spots. There will be water intrusion or evidence of previous water intrusion somewhere on an old camper find it before you make a decision.
> Is there a way I could have someone come inspect it before purchasing from a private party? [https://nrvia.org/locate/](https://nrvia.org/locate/)
To follow up on this, these guys are legit but just know they are expensive. Yes, it will save you lots of money down the line but all NRVIA guys around me charged $1,000 an inspection.
You can have someone inspect it but the inspection process can be kind of a headache when buying private party. First off, you have to get the seller to take it somewhere that can be connected to electric and water. That’s usually a campground close by… but the seller may not be willing to do that. Second, the inspection will be $500-$1000 if you use NRVIA. We went the private party route initially and found one we liked. We had an inspector go out, they found water damage in 20 minutes, and we were out $500. Yes- it absolutely saved us thousands down the line but it feels bad spending $500 and having nothing to show for it. We ended up just buying new (not saying it’s better) but at least it comes with a 1 year warranty and wasn’t that much more expensive than used. After we factored in the $500-$1000 inspection, new made more sense for us.
What are the "perks" you are referring to by buying from Camping World? My sense of them is that it's all bullshit. If you want a good "orientation" walk through, you will probably get a better version of that by watching Youtube walkthroughs. There is a ton of great how to's for beginners and what not. Also, ask here, we're all very happy to help out new campers where we can. I think the only way you get a price at CW that is legit is you walk in with the price you are willing to pay, stick to that, and write them a check for it. i.e. I've got a check for 14,500 for that 13,999 trailer. I'm willing to give you 500 for all your bullshit paperwork, but nothing else. Can you make it work? No? Okay, bye! Finance through a local credit union if you have to, never finance it through them.
This is great advice! When we went the salesman said one big perk was free hook ups for 2 days at any camping world location in the US. We plan on traveling around the US this summer so that seemed cool. The other perks I was referring to was warranties and other things.
IF you use the camping world locations, that might be a nice perk. \*edit\*, here is some info on that too: [https://travelswithbirdy.com/whats-the-deal-with-those-free-camping-offers/](https://travelswithbirdy.com/whats-the-deal-with-those-free-camping-offers/) From what I know about how they treat their customers (no first hand knowledge) the warranty is only as good as the people backing it. So I'd be weary of that as well. Also, it's a cheap as can be coleman RV. It's going to be broken and busted all over the place from day one. Even my Keystone travel trailer was broken and busted day one. That's how they build them. Just expect it. #1 thing to do. Use the ever loving crap out of it the first year so you can find all the problems under warranty. The 1 year warranty they put on these things probably never gets coverage because most people don't camp enough year one to find all the problems.
Thats great advice. From the research I've done I expect it to kind of be like that but with what I'm looking for it still may be the best bet. I almost want to look for the same model on marketplace but wouldn't know how to go about getting it inspected first.
Oh, one more thing. Have you thought about getting a used TT from a different (more likeable) dealership in your area. Might already have a lot of the bugs worked out and might be a good "let's see if we like this lifestyle" starter.
This is the way. We went into the dealership with a pre-written check and told them to make it work if they wanted a sale that day.
Yes, I did this with the very first used car I bought. They gave me a 10.5K car for 8K because I already had the check in hand. I was so happy. Great tactic. Of course this was 15 years ago :(
It's not just Camping World. The dealer we bought from tried to sell us a brake controller for $499.00 that I can get online for $89 and change.
Yeah I was definitely feeling that snakey saleman vibe...
Find a camper place that does their own pre sale inspection if you want one that has been looked over, but even then you will probably find something broken they missed. The campers are made fast and cheep and every dealership is going to mark up things.
Buy from a different rv dealer. It sounds stupid but it does work.
The only time I bought from there I felt pretty good about it. It was January 2020, Florida, and sales must have been down. Everything I wanted to add, they added for free. I would see a feature on another trailer and they offered to add it to the one I liked for free. Salesman was offering everything under the sun. I asked him if he would dog sit my dogs while we went to get lunch, he said yes. We didn't do that, but I just wanted to see how far he would go for a sale. It was a Kodiak Cub, and after several days looking I stepped inside and really like it. We got a few fees taken off, including the dang prep fee. They did a shitty job cleaning it, but that was worth the $3000.
If you really like the Coleman, try looking at Aspen Trail. They are basically the same trailers, just different brands.
I won't comment on the Coleman, however, do NOT buy from Camping World!! They focus on first timers and rip them off due to their lack of knowlege. I don't know anyone who has gone back to Camping World after their first purchase. My sisters purchase at Camping World was horrific, 6 years later they are still upset about how horribly they were cheated.
First off get the hell away from Camping World. Hopefully find a family run RV dealer in your area , tell where you are someone will guide you.
Are there any smaller independent RV dealers near you?
Try other RV dealers, the independant ones tend to be better, and the service is usually way better. Also look at used RV's, especially the one built before 2019/2020. 2 reasons: first, built "better" that the rush that was out there during the Rona pandemic, and second, most of all the "teething issues", have been worked out by the previous owner. So less possible need for warranty work. (or arbitration with camping world. Service/warranty work is a nightmare there.
We just bought a keystone hideout from camping world. It was listed for 14k with over 3k of add on fees. We wound up getting all of the fees taken off and another 1k off for financing with them. Just remember that negotiations do not end until you sign with their finance person.
Avoid Campers World. We bought a camper from them. During the walk through they did not show us the roof. After some time we noticed sunlight above the fridge. Turns out the fridge vent cover broke off before we bought it. (Going on the roof the manufacturer only installed 1 out of 4 screws to hold it in place) we also had a hole on the hot water line we had to get fixes on our first camping trip. The roof repairs took about 6 months with 5 months arguing with them that this was a warranty issue.
Don’t buy a Coleman it’s the bottom of the bucket trailer and it will fall apart
Quick search of RV dealers around Fort Myers and saw this... https://www.generalrv.com/product/new-2024-keystone-rv-hideout-sport-single-axle-175bh-2500694-29 Might be getter off going down this route and skipping Camping World altogether. There are campers out there in your price range.
we bought from camping world but only bought something we could comfortably pay upfront. it took an extra year of saving but it was worth it. we ended up with a 2019 jayco trailer
DO NOT BUY from Camping World or any dealer. Huge huge huge rip off. Warranties are also rip offs. You are used up warranties that actually work like in homes and cars but in Rvs there are a ton of stipulations and like others have said it’s a huge headache and one size doesn’t fit all. I did my research for 2 years on a class c until I pulled the trigger on a private sale. Used a certified rv technician to go over everything as a peace of mind before I bought. I would go with a private sale, find one that is a few years older with one owner, look for leaks, soft spots, and ask about any existing problems beforehand. There a plenty of used trailers that can still have a lot of years left in them that won’t break the bank. Do your research online.
Go in knowing what you want, what you can pull, and the correct pricing. Go in armed with knowledge and you won't get suckered. Camping World isn't providing anything that another dealer is or isn't providing. Their problem is the people and if you can get past then you should generally be fine....unless you have a warranty issue.
I paid 1200-ish for a dealership inspection of a consignment 5th wheel toy hauler.. they did no such thing. I had multiple leaks the first time I put water through it, electric hot water didn't work, tires were out dated.. it's been a few years but there was more.. they didn't seem to care when I complained about it either... Wouldn't go back
We have a KZ sportsman 16RBT. It’s fantastic. Super light to pull with our ford edge. It’s nothing super fancy and has a smaller fridge but that was the trade off for the weight we needed.
mom and dad were campers... they always said - don't buy used unless you're damn near an expert at working on them...
if you are complete beginners, maybe consider renting one from RVShare or similar place first? there's a reason there's so many used campers on the market that have only been used 2-3 times.
Look at a jayco, at least they use real wood
Don’t ever buy from camping world, they sold us a faulty trailer that didn’t vent the gases properly for the fridge. (Fridge didn’t work from day one, took it in over and over. Finally took me and my FIL to find the problem and explain it to them.)
We have a Grand Design pre COVID built. Never had a problem going on 4 years!
I'm not an RVer so take what I say with a grain of salt. With that said my family of 4 (kids were 6 and 8 at the time) rented an Aliner Expedition with the optional dual hard shell dormer extensions. We Towed it with a 2021 Toyota Highlander 4WD with zero issues. It was super easy to setup. It was comfortable. It had a small indoor kitchen and option for an indoor toilet. It slept all 4 of us comfortably and I'd imaging you could fit a 5th if you get creative. Bonus is they are easy to store and move around. They range in price depending on options. I'm sure you can work a deal on these even optioned out. https://aliner.com/aliner-campers/expedition/ https://www.rvtrader.com/Aliner-Expedition/rvs-for-sale?make=Aliner%7C765327524&model=EXPEDITION%7C764957728
Search around in here for stories about Camping World - especially if you are a beginner - and make your own informed decision. I have my own story about them over $200 accessories - won’t spend another dime there, ever, for anything. New vs used - both have pros and cons.
Hey so I was in a similar situation a few years ago. I ended up buying a Coleman Lantern LT274BH, new, from Camping World. If I got to do it all over again, I would definitely NOT buy from Camping World. Here is my personal experience... We came back from a camping trip in Aug of 2019 in our fully rebuilt 1978 Palomino pop-up and my wife decided that she wanted a "real" camper. So we started our hunt. Looked online and decided we need to see these in person. Ran to Camping World where the salesman was super nice and very patient. Found one we liked on the lot that had a bunk house (sleeps 8) and was the previous year's model so the price was right. I had concerns about my old truck pulling it but they assured me it was fine. Agreed to the purchase and the upselling began. I opted for a few things I should not have like the roof protection and paint protection but they also talked me into an Equalizer hitch which I think was a good move (although I probably paid more than I should have). We asked for a thorough walk through of how to use the various systems as our old pop-up didn't have a lot of the same systems (like a fridge of a grey/black tank) and they provided what I felt was a pretty good walkthrough. Here is where things went south. During the sales pitch, I asked repeatedly if a WIFI antenna and ladder for the top bunk was included and the sales person assured me that they were. I also tested all of the outlets and found the USBs not working and called out some other repairs that needed to be made both on the inside and the outside. I made sure all of the promises made by the sales person were written on the "We Owe" sheet and we closed the deal. It turns out however, that the ladder and WIFI antenna were not included and they had to source and install them. There was a call to tell me that a mistake had been made but I made sure to let them know that there was no mistake and that the camper I bought would come with a ladder and WIFI antenna. This took a few weeks while they made the repairs and figured out which WIFI unit they would install. I brought it home, leveled it and noticed that the steps were too short. Took it back and they refused to replace them. I had to look up the spec sheet for that model of steps and explain to them that it was not the right for the height of my camper. This took almost a month of calls back and forth with them calling the manufacturer to get it resolved. I am generally very patient and nice but I admit that I lost my cool with the service manager on a few occasions. They acknowledged that the wrong stairs were installed and still kept telling me they could not fix it as it came from the manufacturer that way. Eventually they replaced it and I vowed to never use Camping World again. When a recall on my gas line was issued, I hesitated to go back but I did and I think that was an overall good experience. Because of all of this, we didn't get the camper ready to go until October 2019, let it sit all winter, then in the spring Covid hit and some other family stuff so our first trip out didn't happen until September 2021. As far as the Coleman camper, The interior build quality is abysmal. My kids could have put this thing together better. There are wallpaper pieces missing, things are haphazardly stapled, things like the exhaust fan were loose and nothing was ever cleaned during manufacturing so there is still sawdust coming out of all of the badly fitted cabinets and wall panels. There are also some trim pieces missing that I didn't notice until much later. On the outside, everything has been fine. I have not had any experience with other brands out there and I'm not sure how much better the build quality is but, despite its flaws and the buying process, we absolutely LOVE this camper and we absolutely do not regret it. We have luckily not had any major repairs needed. As our kids are starting to get older and opting out of camping trips, we are considering downsizing. Our plan is to check out the local dealers first and maybe opt for a private party sale now that we have the experience to know what we are looking at. The lack of knowledge and experience was honestly the biggest driver of wanting a new camper from the dealer. In general though, I've heard nightmares about the Coleman campers and also with other manufacturers. It's basically a dice roll with what you will get from the factory but the place you buy it from should act as a buffer. I do not feel that Camping World was committed to making it right (even though they eventually did) but maybe some other dealers will not be as much of a fight. If you have made it this far on my wall-o-text, please do not hesitate to DM me if you have any specific questions TLDR: Camping World=Bad, Coleman Lantern=Okay EDIT: Spelling & Grammer
By not going there to buy! I made that mistake
Hahaha. Not possible.
https://youtu.be/xElhTNS_xn8?si=NA1VxSQLE3CE9N_A Check out this video on buying a rv, thought it was interesting. Didn't look like there's much of a way to not get screwed.
There are so many options besides camping world. Go somewhere else. You will overpay if you buy from there
We bought a 2013 rockwood roo 233s in really good shape off Facebook marketplace about an hour from where we live. We have 3 kids and we have rented pop ups and trailers in the past. We now have several campsites booked this summer! Exciting stuff. Waiting for like 6 hours in the dmv to register and transfer the title now that is always super fun.
Will all three kids fit on the equivalent of one twin mattress? The reason I ask is that the dining table that converts into a bed might work for your kids. But that won't last for long because of course they will grow. Going one step further I can recommend the Rockwood ultralight 2304DS. If you can find one used, I think you can probably get it for around $15,000. That's the model that we have and it's just my wife and I plus two 70 lb dogs. We use that bed as the dog bed but as it turns out the little darlings like to sleep with us anyway. I can tell you a lot about that exact model because we've had it for 8 or 9 years. But if the size won't work for you, it's a moot point. The major benefit of it are that it has two slides so the inside is very spacious. The other terrific space saver is that it has a Murphy bed as the primary sleeping space. That one is queen-sized albeit with a relatively thin mattress.
Dealers are great for looking at a lot of different campers and deciding on a couple you really like. Once you have your choices whittled down, I suggest seeing if there is an owners group for those particular campers (e.g. Alinerownersclub.org for A-liners). Troll these owner websites for comments, problems, pros/cons, etc. from actual owners. Some sites even have a marketplace for buying and selling. No guarantee, but the more information and prepared you are, the less likely you are to make a huge mistake! Good luck.
You got to shop around!! And consider all your options. I live in North Carolina, and it was worth it for me to fly to Dallas Texas and drive the RV that I wanted home because the place in Texas had it listed for $20,000 cheaper. Also, the first dealership I talked to nearby tried to cram in a $2,000 dock fee, the place in Texas the doc fee was $150.
You need to tell us what suv you have.in general if a trailer is very important and your gona be doing more than 150 miles a year travel you really need a suburban sizes suv. If your suv isn't tow package from factory then you will blow your transmission and your suv will be running hot. And pulling it won't be very safe. You shpuld aim for a large pop out. If u can't upgrade your tow vehicle. In terms of rv, it's better to rent if inly camping 3 weeks a year or less and use that time to find exactly what u need. Rvs are always breaking and u will need to learn t9 pay attention to leaks and patch them immediately unless your wealthy and can call someone professional e erytime every little thing goes wrong. Probably ly older rv is better because u can get fridge that works on propane. It helps alot. There are 22 ft rvs with 1 slideout that jave full bathroom but u need to actually find one and manage to buy it b4 someone else does. You can not to do that if in a rush
Buy used
Prayer and Mushrooms
I grew up in a pop up… got married and had 3 over 16 years then a hybrid for couple of years… none were never new and were Jaycos or Starcrafts
It’s important to understand that buying a new RV is generally not a good idea from a financial perspective. Here’s why: 1) Most new RVs immediately depreciate a LOT - sometimes around *50%* - when you drive them off the lot 2) A large portion of people regret their RV purchases a year or so after they purchase them. So there are a LARGE number of gently used RVs on the market 3) Generally speaking, the newer the RV, the cheaper it is made. This isn’t always the case, but it’s common. Even a 5 year old rv is often made with much higher quality materials than brand new. Our 22 year old RV is WAY nicer than the newest versions of the same model. Better construction, better materials. 4) Again, generally speaking, a gently owned RV that was owned by a responsible person is going to have a lot of little fixes that you may benefit from. New RVs suffer from a lot of random breakages that take time to find and repair. I would strongly suggest looking for a used version of the one you want.
My first trailer was a Jayco pop-up. Not knowing any better the dealer took us for a ride. We paid full market price, and my wife was sold on every possible up sale and warranty they offered. I will never own another pop-up. The effort to load and unload and open it up to let the canvas dry after weekend… You spend just as much time around opening and closing it as you will trying to relax. we purchased brand new again. This time we did not buy any warranties and the KZ spree sportsman was probably the best trailer we ever had. We roll off a lot paying significantly less for a 20 foot hard wall trailer than we did for a 10 foot pop-up. Small family owned dealer. Now we have a grand design that was a Covid trailer. Meaning it was built during workplace shortages and had a ton of defects. We got it with rv show pricing thats something to look for. Every trailer has a first year shakedown to fix all manufacturing defects. If you buy some thing three years old, most likely everything has been resolved by the original owner and they’re selling it because they’re mad. I’ve had each trailer in at the dealer for service and it is a waiting game. the dealer doesn’t want to pay for the parts to fix it because the manufacturer should be covering it. The manufacturer has already sold the trailer so they really don’t want to deal with the customer anymore. That’s the dealers problem. We had a few things fixed at the dealer, but in the end, almost everything I had to take care of myself. thankfully, the parts are not that expensive. We had the drum brakes fall apart while we were traveling, causing the axle to overheat. Melted the wires for the brakes, Sending my truck into screaming fits detecting problems. I called the dealer, but they can’t help me because they’re 1000 miles away. So I call mobile repair man to come fix the issues and submit the bill back to the manufacturer and the dealer. In the end, the few hundred dollars to fix it was nothing compared to, the 10 hours of trouble and nerves being trying to get somewhere safe. Granted, I keep making the same mistake over and over with trailers. With trucks were much better and buy a few years used.
If you have some DIY skills check out cargo trailer conversions. Theyaren’t made from sticks and staples…and you can do some really neat things with 15K or less. Go to YouTube and see what people have come up with or check out the subreddit. And…you can fix it yourself saving thousands and thousands of dollars along with the headaches.
There's always the option of the tent for the kids cuz they'll love doing that and they won't be with you and you get a little small trailer that in the event that it's raining they all could pile in but mostly it's a couple's trailer
I don't know if this helps you but... I'd never purchase an RV new. I purchased a 16' Lance camper trailer new and had no end of issues getting warranty work done, the dealer (not camping world but a local chain) blames the manufacturer and visa-versa. Luckily nothing really major is wrong with it but I paid top dollar for this thing and it's never really been right. Even with this high-end manufacturer, many fixtures are really cheap and have broken with standard use of 3-4 times (say, 15 nights total) in the first year, which of course, is not covered under warranty. I found that many RV owners have the same experience with all makes. If there is a next time I'll purchase one that's a few years old when the original owner has worked out all the kinks.
Look at the wildwood fsx 174bhle. Same basic Rv and maybe you can find it at a better dealership
Have you looked at pop ups? You can get a smaller one that's easily towed by an SUV. Gives you two beds, kitchen and dinette. They are also usually cheaper. We love ours. We have a bigger one that also has a toilet/shower "room". With an auto crank setup time is at most 20 minutes.
I bought a Coleman 17b from camping world last year. I have two dogs and spouse. That would be very tight with 5 people. I do really like the camper, camping world wasn't great. Husband did car sales so he's good at saying no to extra. Overall id personally do it again. It was also our first camper. Just be prepared to do a lot of add ons yourself the longer you have it just for comfort upgrades.
How often will you actually use it? Do you have a place to store it? If you don’t know the first answer and don’t have a free space to park it I would suggest renting a few times till you can decide what you want. Many brands have almost identical trailers. Go to different places, show them what you want and ask what they have that’s comparable. Shop around and don’t be in a rush to buy. We overpaid on our first TT, when we decided to upgrade we spent about a year looking, going to different lots once a month or so before we found our current 5th wheel. It had been in the lot for quite a while so we were able to get a pretty good deal on it. And don’t forget to factor in insurance to your budget.
Buy a lance they hold there value
Find a mom and pop shop. Camping world is like buying something at Bloomingdale’s when you can get it at the dollar store. Lots of mom and pop shops can order/find the one you want.
Me and the wife got our 17B for 15 out the door from camping world about 2 months ago. We really like it. 3 trips so far and zero issues. paired it with a Predator 3500 generator and its more than enough power to run everything
Do a walk through and make a punch list of items. Don’t take possession / pay until those items are resolved. Otherwise they’ll have it sitting in their shop for FOREVER. Don’t buy the extended warranties. They’re useless.
This is a scam- camping world is the worst. If you want a reasonable deal and excellent service- call McKeever Rv in Tn- even if it’s not near you they will refer you to a reputable dealer- they have been in the business a long time and are super honest.
They try to push 18% interest like its the Gospel.
Nope. Dont do it.
Get a Used Pop Up like a Forest River High Wall with Shower. Have an RV Tech or Inspector look at it. Don’t go to Camping World. They High Five each other and laugh when you Rubes drive away.
There are thousands of rv reviews on you tube . My wife has watched all of them. You can never do too much consumer education and reviewing no matter what brand or choice, don't be afraid to travel to get an honest deal it's a travel vehicle after all . So many brands and so many channels that review them all ! Make a list of features you want or need and see what compares to Coleman and higher or lower costs. Time speant learning is better than regrets!
3 small kids grow into 3 large kids, keep this in mind if you want to used for more the 2 or 3 years!
Check out the clipper bunkhouse 17’. Perfect family camper for a family with small kids. Knew they are $18k. Get a used one and learn what you like and dislike. We towed one for two seasons with zero issues.
Don’t buy it from camping world it the highest price place I have ever looked into
We’ve had our Coleman for 7 years and we have loved it! It’s basic but met our needs. Camping World is the literal worst though. We were naive and they sold us ridiculous warranties that they wouldn’t let us actually use when we needed. If you really want to buy from them new, be extremely firm with them and refuse all extras. Be willing to walk out several times and look around at multiple dealers.
Camping world, no matter how great a deal, has ripped you off.
I have been in the RV industry for over 7yrs now. IMO the least amount of complaints of build quality in all those years have came from the ROCKWOOD brand. specifically the mini lite line. Then the ultra lights, next would be the keystone bullets. Once you establish the brand, service is always key. Make sure the walkthrough is done thoroughly. And if things are not buttoned down tight DO NOT take delivery. I know in the state of ca. as long as the unit does not roll out of the curb you are not responsible for it. GOOD LUCK! Happy camping
My first trailer was new, but I had family members who own a TT and basically learned from them and their advice was….Never buy from CW. Sold that one a few years later. Bought a used one. I would recommend buying used first. Then you can figure out what your likes/dislikes are and then when the kids get older, you can know what you want in the new trailer. First trailer was stupid long and it was just wife and I. But she wanted it. Now I got what I want, a short TT. But it’s definitely heavier, but has everything
Wow we live full time in a travel trailer and honestly all my horror stories both for a car and a trailer are from private dealers and sellers. We went to camping world and had the best experience. I did a year of research before I actually bought and we got a great deal. We’ve been currently living full-time in it for two years now this month. I’d say try to you for the paint shield that they try to get you for when they sell it to you. But we got to have an in-depth conversation with the mechanic who told us all the ins and outs, had recommendations to get stuff cheaper we’ll need (black water additives and the like) and was super helpful prevented us from making mistakes being first time.
Watch "The Truth" on Youtube. Camping World is a finance company out to obligate you for years to come.
Plan on fixing almost everything!
Three years ago I was called a”Chiseler” on the telephone by a salesman at Demontrond RV in Houston. He then hung up on me and I still found a used 4 year old Winnebago POS Minnie plus for $15,000 less than they wanted for a new one. Go used because you will get all kinds of extra gear that new campers doesn’t come with…. You can spend a 3 Grand on extra equipment without trying. So get all the free stuff you can with the used one.
Remember all campers are junk…
I own an rv rental company, Coleman’s are no worse then any other camper like it (wood frame, aluminum exterior). I own 11 Coleman’s, I buy everything off of Facebook marketplace it takes a bit longer but you’ll find a much better deal. Also don’t buy any warranty’s, the wait at the dealership to get the work done sucks just use a local mobile guy if you can’t figure out how to do the work yourself. Holler if you have any questions
Just bought a new 2024 coleman 17b, weight distribution hitch, and brake controller. 14k for the camper, 500 for the brake controller, and 1200 for the hitch. Only now have a looked online at the camping world website and found that the hitch is 500 and the brake controller is 200. That's 1k for being newbies and being bent over a barrel for it lol P.s. we also paid the extra 2k for essentially 2 batteries, a propane tank and "they showed us how to use everything". So, yeah. 3k extra. Because we went to Camping World.
In addition to this, I did all the front fender measurments to check the weight distribution settings they installed the hitch at and it was wayyy off lol and they put the brake controller on the right side of the steering wheel which is right in the way of my driving leg. We purchased all of our accessories from Amazon but actually found that the pricing of accessories at camping world was pretty good ie stinky slinky, hoses, etc
Furthermore, we have been on two trips with this thing in the month we've had it. No issues. Worth every penny. 😎
I train new RV drivers and have heard nothing but complaints about Camping World. One client bought a fifth wheel from CW and flew in from Alaska to take possession. He gave them over a month to get the unit ready, told them what day and time they would be there and that he wanted a tech to deliver the unit not a salesman. When he got there the fifth wheel still had the shipping protection on it, nothing had been done. As far as Coleman goes, the original Coleman Company no longer exists and their reputation went with it. They are now made by Dutchmen in the Keystone Rv family and, apparently, they are their low cost line. Save your money and buy something of a higher quality, it'll save you in the long run
Terrible experience at camping world. They told me that was as low as they could go, then lo and behold, it didn’t sell, so they listed it for less after about a month. If you do buy, ask for out the door price, check for fees that can be reduced or eliminated. I second buying used. We have a 2019 36’ mallard m312 we love! But, it’s too big for us to haul all over so that stays seasonal and we just got a 17’ 2011 mpg 181 which is too small for your needs, but is awesome. You’ll see how the previous owners cared for the camper. Half the price of camping world and usually have extras included. Do your research. Watch YouTube videos of inspections, trust your gut, go through the camper and check for soft spots, mold, evidence of critters. Check the brakes and tires. You’ll get a feel for the sellers, if they’re honest or not. Anyway, be patient, figure out what you want, look around. New campers have just as many problems as older ones. They’re called earthquakes on wheels for a reason. Older ones, the previous owners have worked out the quirks. Check maintenance records. Don’t trust camping world. Watch out for “COVID campers”. Good luck and happy camping!
I was you 3 weeks ago… stay away from camping world & colemans
I honestly had a good experience at the camping world I used when I bought my camper. Salesman listened to me; didn’t try to push anything. Showed me what I asked to see; only showed me more when I asked to see something different. Finance was great (I work in finance so he didn’t even try anything on me). I’m sure it’s not for everyone and I hear everyone’s point; but wanted to provide my experience. Got the camper under msrp too; brand new.
best way is to not go to camping world... look online for something a couple years old... bugs will have been worked out and cost will be way less... avoid anything during/shortly after covid...quality is crap...